


It Could Be a Heart-Shaped World, If She Let It, And If He Asked

by mldrgrl



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sharing a Bed, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 12:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9072568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mldrgrl/pseuds/mldrgrl
Summary: Written for leiascully's "snowed in" tumblr challenge





	

Mulder was nervous, and he was never nervous when it came to driving, but he was really really nervous.  He'd grown up bearing New England storms with the best of them and couldn't count the number of blizzards he'd faced.  And if experience had taught him anything, it was that they really should not have been on the road that night.

 

The storm had come out of nowhere.  Weathermen were notoriously inaccurate, but the forecast had only called for a light dusting of snow.  Somehow, somewhere between Pittsburg and wherever the hell they were, meteorologists were about to get a lot of hate mail.    This was no light dusting of snow.  In fact, Mulder was pretty sure they were in white-out conditions.

 

“Scully,” he said, waking his partner who'd dozed off before the flakes had turned so ominous.

 

“Hm, we there?” she asked, rousing in the passenger seat.  “Jesus, Mulder!”

 

“I think we need to stop.”

 

“How did it get so bad so quickly?”

 

“I don’t know, want me to call Holman Hardt and ask?”

 

“We need to stop.”

 

“I already said that.”

 

He had slowed the car to a crawl even before he woke Scully, but moved even slower as the road curved and he tried to find the middle.  He hadn't seen another car in either direction for nearly an hour and the forest on either side of them blocked everything else.  She tried her cell phone, but got no service.

 

“What is that?” Scully asked, pointing just ahead to the left.

 

“What is what?”

 

“It looks like it might be a sign of some sort.”

 

“I don't see...oh.  I can't read it.”

 

“Pull up a bit more and I'll get out.”

 

Mulder inched closer and then rolled to a stop.  The snow was blowing so hard he could barely see out the side window.  Scully unbuckled her seatbelt and struggled to force her door open.  

 

“Be careful,” he said.

 

Two frigid minutes later, Scully was back in the car and shivering with cold.  She held her hands to the heating vents, grateful for the warmth of the car.  The last time she'd felt so cold she was lying on the ice in front of a giant crater in Antarctica and she never wanted to feel that kind of cold again.

 

“Sign says there's a resort five miles to the left,” she managed through chattering teeth.  “The best the Poconos has to offer.”

 

“There's gotta be a turn out then.  Want to risk getting off the main road?”

 

“I don't think we have a choice.”

 

Mulder put the car in gear and fishtailed out of his parked position.  He looked over at Scully and grimaced a little.

 

“Put your seatbelt back on,” he said, quietly.

 

Scully relatched her belt and then gripped the dashboard, partially to be closer to the heat, partially to hold on, just in case.

 

Forty-five very tense minutes later, and not to mention several close calls with sliding completely off the road, they pulled up to Pride of the Poconos.  The main building loomed into view merely by chance and Mulder had the good sense not the slam on the brakes.  He managed to stop safely and neatly under a carport that was blessedly blocking the brunt of the storm and saw very little accumulation of snow.  The surrounding area was pitch black, obviously closed for the season.

 

“Now what?” Mulder asked.

 

“You got your lock picking kit with you?”

 

“Always.”

 

“I think this situation calls for a break in.”

 

“Ooo Scully, you know what I like.”

 

Scully rolled her eyes as she got out of the car.  She pulled her jacket tighter and lowered her head a little at the incoming wind. There wasn't much snow blowing in where they were, but the wind was still icy cold.

 

The front door was made of glass and they both tried to peer inside before Mulder went to work on the lock, but it was as dark inside as it was outside.  Scully held her flashlight for Mulder and it took him longer than usual to break the lock as his fingers were numb and his gloves were too thick to work with.

 

They moved through the lobby quietly, shining their lights in all directions to orient themselves with their surroundings.  Mulder went behind the check in desk and picked up one of the phones.

 

“Dead,” he said, hanging it back up.  “No telling if it's from the storm or just being closed.”

 

“You'd think they'd have a winter maintenance person on site,” she said.

 

“What, like The Shining?  Let's hope not.”

 

“I guess we're just stuck here then for the night.”

 

“Hm,” he answered, running his hand over the rows of keys dangling from a pegboard behind the desk. He searched the walls with his light and then stopped on a map of the resort and went over to get a closer look.

 

“Or…” He said.

 

“Or?” she asked.

 

He went back to the pegboard and plucked a key off the rack.  “Cabin 27 is right behind the main office.”

 

“We can't do that.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“We shouldn't even be in here, for one thing.”

 

“It was your idea!  Plus, it's an emergency.  What are they gonna do, call the law on us?  We  _ are _ the law.”

 

“I don't know.”

 

“Relax,” he said, dropping into a horrible impression of Jack Nicholson.  “All work and no play makes Scully a dull girl.”

 

“Fine.”

 

“Excellent.  But before we go…”  He shined his light around again and found a vending machine.  Not just a vending machine with chips and candy, but a larger one that stocked items like socks and razors as well. “Jackpot.”

 

Mulder's excitement was short-lived when, after plugging in the vending machine, they discovered that the power was completely off.  Resourceful as ever, Scully found a set of keys to open the machine and they set about stocking up on microwave popcorn, ramen noodles, crackers, chips, and candy.

 

They retrieved their overnight bags from the car and then trudged through the wind and the snow to the back of the main building.  Even with the aid of the flashlights it was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead through the blinding snow.

 

Mulder took Scully's hand and she tried to shrug him off, but he squeezed tighter.  “I don't want to lose you,” he yelled against the wind.  “Have to stick together.”

 

They stumbled upon the cabin and moved up an icy set of wooden stairs to the door.  Snow was piled against the screen and they had to kick and dig it away to get it opened.  Once inside, the cabin was just as dark as the main building, and though not as frigid as it was outside, there was no heat either.

 

“Shit,” Mulder said, moving around the room and testing switches on walls and lamps.  No power.

 

“Doesn't matter,” she said.  “We're inside, we’re off the road, we'll be fine.  Look, there’s a fireplace.”

 

Sure enough, a small stone fireplace was embedded in the wall across from the queen-sized bed.  A little basket of wood sat beside the hearth and Scully knelt down to inspect it.  With a little bit of a struggle, she managed to open the flue and then she sat back on her heels and clapped the ash from her hands.

 

“Why would they have a fireplace if they’re closed for the winter?”  Mulder asked.

 

“Maybe they were year round some time before.  Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

 

“Speaking of, I need to see a man about a horse right now.”

 

“I’ll try to light this thing.”

 

Mulder shined his light around and set out to find a bathroom while Scully searched for some matches or a lighter.  He called her name suddenly and she was on her feet in a flash, weapon drawn.

 

“Mulder!” she called back, pointing both her gun and her flashlight at the bathroom door.

 

“Scully, you’ve gotta see this!”

 

She relaxed a little and lowered her weapon.  She pushed the door open with the tip of her boot and found Mulder standing in the middle of a rather large bathroom, back to her, light pointing down at the floor.

 

“What is it?” she asked.

 

“A heart-shaped bathtub!”

 

“That’s what you brought me in here for?”

 

“Have you ever  _ seen _ a heart-shaped bathtub, Scully?”

 

“No, I haven’t.”  She looked down as Mulder outlined the shape of the heart with his light.

 

“I always thought it was something of a myth.”

 

“Like Bigfoot?  Or the loch ness monster?”

 

“A  _ real _ myth,” he answered, pointing his light up under her chin.  “Like an honest politician.”

 

“I’m gonna go start that fire.”

 

“You know what I think, Scully?” he asked, turning as she did and pointing the flashlight back down to the bathtub.

 

“What do you think, Mulder?”

 

He waved his light around.  “I believe this might be a honeymoon suite.”

 

If there was more light, she wouldn’t have missed the obvious signs.  Red drapes across the windows, mirrors surrounding the bathtub, the bed was circular in shape, and just outside of the bathroom door was a shelf full of candles.  Dozens of candles.  And, of course, a fireplace.  Add that all up and it equalled all the ambiance one might want on a honeymoon.

 

Scully couldn’t care less about ambiance though, she cared about practicality.  She left Mulder to marvel over the bathtub and got to work by collecting candles from the shelf, along with a book of matches, and started lighting, placing the thick votives in strategic areas of the room that would give off the most light.

 

“The water works,” Mulder said, coming out of the bathroom a short time later.  “And it’s hot.  A Christmas miracle.”

 

“It’s the middle of January.”

 

“Love what you’ve done with the place.”

 

“There’s a kitchenette in the corner.  See if you can’t get any appliances working.”

 

The fire Scully managed to get going was low and didn’t produce much heat.  All the appliances in the kitchen were electric, but the Indian Guide and the Girl Scout worked together to set up one of the racks from the stove over the fire to boil water and had a meal of ramen noodles and crackers.  The soup warmed them a bit, but the room was still too cold to remove any of their outer layers.

 

“I think we should take advantage of that bathtub,” Mulder said.

 

“In your dreams, Mulder.”

 

“I’m serious, Scully.  We need to warm up.  What better way to do that than with some hot water?”

 

“First of all, it would be highly inappropriate.  Second of all...it would be highly inappropriate.”

 

“Did you see the size of that bathtub?  You could fit eight people in it.  It’d be no more inappropriate than sharing an Olympic sized pool.”

 

“I suppose you brought your swim trunks.”

 

“Never leave home without ‘em.”

 

“Well, I didn’t.”

 

“I won’t look,” he said, then lowering his voice to a near whisper he added, “much.”  

 

Scully sighed.  She was cold.  She was at the point where she could barely feel her fingers any longer.  Slipping into a warm bath sounded heavenly.  Slipping into a warm bath with Mulder sounded awkward.  He was right though, the tub was huge, more like a hot tub than an actual bathtub.  It would help immensely and she was pretty sure he’d take a dip in it with or without her and refusing the opportunity to get warm would just make her look foolish.

 

“All right,” she acquiesced reluctantly.  “Fine.”

 

“I’ll go get it started.  It might take awhile.”

 

“I’ll clean up here.” 

 

Scully could hear the rush of water over the quiet stream in the small sink where she rinsed their soup bowls. The warm water felt good over her hands and she was suddenly anxious to get into that tub and thaw out.

 

When she finished with the dishes, she went back to sit in front of the fire.  There wasn't a lot of wood in the basket and she didn't want to waste it, but she didn't want the fire to die either.  She stoked it a little, smiling lightly as it crackled and hissed at her, and then added another log to keep it going.  

 

The sheets and comforter on the bed seemed thin and not terribly warm.  She found an extra blanket in the closet and opened it up over the bed.  It wasn't much, but it would have to do.  It suddenly hit her that they would be sharing that bed in a short while.  Sharing a bath and then sharing a bed.  She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that.

 

“Hey, Scully,” Mulder said, startling her when he came out of the bathroom and grabbed his suitcase.

 

“Is it ready?”

 

“Yeah.  Go ahead and get in.  I'll join you in a moment.”

 

Scully opened up her own suitcase and brought out a pair of flannel pajamas, discretely hiding a pair of fresh underwear in the folds. She'd already decided she'd be leaving her bra and panties on in the tub.  She could get through it by pretending it was a bikini.

 

The bathroom was mostly dark, save for the single candle that Mulder had brought in and placed on the sink.  The mirrors made it a bit brighter, but not very.  She stripped out of her clothes, cringing as her bare feet hit the cold tile floor.  She opened the door a crack when she was finished so Mulder could come in and then she eased herself down into the warm water.

 

“Too hot?  Or is it okay?” Mulder asked, shuffling into the room and closing the door to keep the steam in.

 

“It's fine.”

 

Scully slid into a seat at one of the top curves of the heart as Mulder stepped into the tub.  He settled on the other side of her in the left curve and sank down so the water rose over his shoulders.

 

“I know what a melting snowman feels like,” he said.  His knee brushed hers and she shifted her legs away but their feet had nowhere to go that wasn’t towards each other.  In the end, she couldn’t stop the back of his calves from brushing her shins and she tried not to let it bother her.

 

“Look,” Mulder said, bringing his hands up out of the water and flexing his fingers.  “I can feel my fingers again.”

 

She nodded.  “I haven't felt so cold since…”

 

“Yeah.”  He sighed and dropped his hands back in the water.  “Maybe if I’d woken you sooner we could-”

 

“Don't do that.  We're fortunate to have found this place.”

 

It stayed quiet for awhile.  Scully watched the shadows dance on the wall as the flame flickered slightly and then closed her eyes.  The water moved against her shoulders in tiny waves as Mulder brought his hands up to rub his face.  The sound of it made her open her eyes with languid slowness.

 

“Why do you think people come here?” Mulder asked.

 

“To be romantic, I guess,” she murmured.

 

“Would you find it romantic?”

 

“Maybe the cabin part of it.  Definitely not the heart-shaped bathtub.”  She reached her hand out of the tub and ran it along the downward slope of the red rim.  “This is just cheesy.”

 

“What would it take?”

 

“For what?”

 

“To woo Dana Scully.  If hearts and flowers don’t do it, what does?”

 

Scully shrugged and closed her eyes again, laying her head back.  “I never said hearts and flowers didn’t do it for me.  Just heart-shaped bathtubs.”  She shivered and submerged herself past her shoulders.  “I do like flowers.  I think...it’s the surprise more than the flowers, though.  When they show up unexpectedly at your door.  And not for any occasion, but just because.”

 

“You’re surprisingly easy.”

 

“Why does that surprise you?  What did you expect me to say?”

 

“I don’t know.  A lifetime subscription to Scientific Journal?  Membership to the scalpel of the month club?”

 

“This from the man who probably thinks vampire slaying and ghost hunting would make a good first date activity.”

 

“Well, not a first date.”  He flicked his fingers at her and splattered her cheek with flecks of bathwater.  “I’ve taken you vampire slaying and ghost hunting.  Did you think that was a date?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“Good.  Because if I took you on a date, you’d know it.”

 

“Oh, really?  Tell me, Don Juan, what’s your idea of a date?”

 

“Is it a first date?”

 

“Does it make a difference.”

 

“Of course it does.”

 

“All right, it’s a first date.  What do we do?”

 

“We, meaning you and I?”

 

“Mulder…”

 

“I would pick you up at your door and bring you flowers.”

 

“What kind of flowers?”

 

“It’s summer, when we have our date, so I would bring you blue daisies and I would tell you that I passed a stand on the way and I had to pick them up because they reminded me of the color of your eyes, but really I had planned ahead and called every florist in the area looking for them.”

 

Scully tried to picture Mulder showing up at her door with flowers and the image felt comical to her.  She chuckled a little.  “I guess I’d have to let you in so I could put them in water.”

 

“I told you when we made plans to dress casual, so you have a sundress on.”

 

“Mulder, I’ve never worn a sundress in my life.”

 

“You do on our date.  But, I tell you to make sure you grab a sweater since it might get chilly at night and I’ll hold it for you.”

 

“As charming as your antiquated notions are, I am capable of carrying my own sweater, thank you very much.”

 

“Fine, Scully, carry your own sweater.”

 

There was a hint of bitterness in his voice and Scully suddenly felt bad.  It was actually a sweet thing to say, and she knew it didn’t come from a place of delusion about her capability to handle a sweater.  It was gentlemanly and kind and if she was lucky enough to actually be invited on any date, she could probably stand not to sabotage it by letting her temper flare up from the offer to hold her sweater.

 

“No,” she said.  “Go ahead.  Thank you for offering.”

 

“We make small talk on our walk.”

 

“What walk?”

 

“The walk we take over to the place I’ve made reservations at.”

 

“Why are we walking and not driving?”

 

“Because it gives us an opportunity to have a conversation that’s not interrupted by traffic.  It also means we have more time together, and if things go well, maybe I will take your hand as I walk you home.”

 

“Okay.”  She liked the sound of all of that.  “Where are we going to dinner?”

 

“I booked us a cooking class.”

 

“A  _ cooking _ class?”  She had to laugh.  

 

“Yes, a cooking class.  Specifically, a pizza making class.”

 

“Of course.  Pizza.”

 

“Maybe your logic and reasoning skills haven’t thawed out yet, but think about it.  We get to make something together.  Something we both like and would eat, with no real chance of screwing up too badly.  We’ll have wine and laugh about it and there’ll be other couples there too, maybe on first dates as well, or maybe recently engaged, and we’ll drink and bond and make it into a friendly competition over who can come up with the most creative pizza out of the group.”

 

“Do we win?”

 

“Of course we win.”

 

Scully smiled.

 

“We leave with a box of leftover pizza and it’s just about twilight,” he continued.  “Perfect timing.  We head over to Farragut Square where they play the outdoor movies and tonight it happens to be Raiders of the Lost Ark.”

 

“That’s not a very...”

 

“It’s funny and flirty and it doesn’t put too much pressure on things.  And, you know, if everything goes well, next week is Roman Holiday.”

 

“Okay.  And then what?”

 

“Then I walk you back to your place, and I think the night went pretty well, so I hold your hand, and when we get outside your door, I tell you I had a really nice time and ask if you’d like to do it again next week.”

 

“To which I’d say, give me a call in a few days and I’ll let you know if I’m available.”

 

“Ooo, Scully, playing hard to get.  I like it.  I give you the leftover pizza to keep and I kiss you on the cheek.”

 

“The cheek?  That’s disappointing.”

 

“It’s a first date.  What kind of guy do you take me for, Scully?  Besides, gotta leave ‘em wanting more, you know?”

 

Scully laid her head back again and looked towards the candle.  “Okay, Mulder, I’ll admit, that sounds like a nice date.”

 

“Does it?”  He stood suddenly and the water sloshed violently.  She sat up quickly and straightened her back so her hair wouldn’t get wet.

 

“Mulder?”

 

“Getting too hot now.  I’m gonna get dressed.  Can I get you anything?”

 

“No, I brought my pajamas in with me.”

 

“Good.  I’ll warm the bed.”

 

She watched him leave, a dark shadow in the dim light, and suddenly she felt like a virginal bride on her wedding night.  They’d shared a room before on a few rare occasions, but never a bed.  Just the thought of it was strange and foreign.  As strange and foreign as the idea of going on a date with him, even if it sounded like a rather nice date.  A very nice, thoroughly well-planned date that he couldn’t have come up with in the spur of the moment.  She supposed it shouldn’t be so surprising to her that her partner, the eternal believer in all things fantastic, would turn out to be a romantic.

 

She felt the cold as soon as she stepped out of the tub.  As quick as she could, she got rid of her wet underclothes, dried off, and donned her pajamas.  She braced herself, knowing full well that when she opened the bathroom door, the steam would escape and the even colder air would come in.  It still didn’t stop the shiver that ran through her and she hurried to the bed.

 

Mulder had extinguished most of the candles, leaving only one by the fire and one on the night table next to the bed.  She brought the one with her from the bathroom and put it on the opposite night table.  He was over at the fireplace, stoking the weak flames.  She climbed into bed, hissing as she slid between the cool sheets, and he extinguished the candle on the hearth.

 

“I thought you’d be longer,” he said, climbing into the other side of the bed.  “Too bad it hasn’t snowed sleeping bags.”

 

“That is too bad.”

 

She felt his body heat almost immediately.  She gravitated towards it, but stopped herself and feigned getting more comfortable for trying to get closer.  The shape of the bed was going to force them to be closer than what would be considered appropriate though.

 

“Maybe one of us should keep watch,” Scully said.

 

“For what?  I’m pretty sure even the abominable snowman wouldn’t go out in this.”

 

“Famous last words.”

 

“You can sleep.  I’ll stay awake.”

 

“No, I’m being foolish.  You’re right, nothing’s going to out in this storm.”

 

Suddenly, Mulder moved towards her and she leaned away in surprise as he touched her arm.

 

“Mul-”

 

“Just putting out the light,” he said, hovering over her and leaning completely past her to blow out the candle on her night table.  His chest was so low and close to her face that she could smell the antiperspirant he must’ve put on after the bath.

 

It was ridiculous how warm he was, and how warm he made her just by being so close.  She sighed in disappointment as he moved away and then rolled over to blow out his own candle.  She curled herself up a little tighter and hunkered down under the covers.

 

“Get over here, Scully,” he murmured, rolling to face her and then pulling her towards the center of the bed with a hand to her lower back.

 

She should have probably protested, but she was too cold to do it.  He turned onto his back and she tucked herself against his side, hand resting gently on his chest, fingers curled against his thermal shirt.  His arm was around her and across her shoulders.

 

“Better?” Mulder asked.

 

“Yeah,” she breathed.  “Better.”

 

She wasn’t sure how long she slept for, but when she opened her eyes, there was grey light seeping through the corners of the windows around the shades.  She was warm and cozy, curled onto her side with her head on the back of Mulder’s shoulder and her arm draped across his back.  She didn’t really want to move, but her bladder dictated otherwise.

 

Quietly, she eased out of the warm, cozy bed and raced to the bathroom.  She was shivering uncontrollably by the time she got back into bed.

 

“Jesus, Scully,” Mulder groaned, angling his whole body towards her and pinning her down with his arm and leg.  “How’d you get so cold so quickly?”

 

“It’s still cold.”

 

Eyes closed, still half-asleep, he briskly rubbed her back.  She was warm again in no time, but she stayed huddled against him.  Eventually, he slowed and then relaxed, keeping her in the cocoon of his body.

 

“Mulder?” she whispered.

 

“Mm?”

 

“This is weird.”

 

“What is?”

 

“This.”

 

“Mm, I don’t know why we didn’t think of it sooner.”

 

“I’m serious.”

 

“So am I.”

 

Scully sighed and watched his face.  He hadn’t opened his eyes since she got back into bed.  Not once.  

 

“Mulder?”

 

“Mm?”

 

She said nothing after that because she couldn’t think of anything to say.  Sometimes they were better at silence.  The most awkward thing for her about this situation was that it didn’t feel awkward at all.  It felt good and right and like Mulder said, she didn’t know why they hadn’t thought of it before.  Well, because it was unprofessional and unnecessary, that’s why.  It only happened out of necessity, not from desire.  Though, somewhere in the back of her brain, a voice reminded her that she’d had fleeting thoughts about something like this before.  Thoughts that she’d always squashed and suppressed before they got out of hand.  Before she started thinking about things like hearts and flowers.

 

“Go back to sleep,” Mulder murmured, his voice slurry like he was already there.  His hand came up and cupped the back of her head, making even her hair feel warm and tingly.

 

“How do you know I’m awake?” she whispered.  “You haven’t even opened your eyes.”

 

“I can feel you thinking.”

 

She blushed despite the fact that she knew there was no way he could know what she was thinking about.  Maybe she could convince him she was thinking about something else.  “How long do you think we’ll be trapped here?” she asked.

 

“How much snow is on the ground?”

 

“I was too cold to look.”

 

Mulder yawned and then he tried to roll over, but she gripped his shirt.  “Don’t get up.  I only just got warm again.”

 

“Then go back to sleep.  We’ll get out when we get out.”

 

She closed her eyes and the next time she woke up, she was mortified to discover that the corner of her mouth was wet and there was a patch of dampness under her cheek where she drooled on Mulder’s chest.  With any luck, maybe he wouldn’t notice, but she’d already jerked herself away in horror.

 

“Morning,” Mulder said as he reached out to her with a grin and ran his thumb along the side of her mouth.

 

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

 

“I think we might be able to get out of here today.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I’ve been listening to the snow melt for over an hour.”  He glanced at her with a sly smile.  “Over your snoring.”

 

“I don’t snore, Mulder.”

 

“Anyway, it’s been dropping off the roof pretty rapidly.”

 

As though perfectly timed, there was a wet plop outside the door to validate Mulder’s statement.

 

“I guess we should get up then,” she said.

 

With reluctance, they faced the inevitable cold and got out of the bed.  A quick look outside told them they would indeed be leaving just as soon as they could get packed up.  The snow on the porch was nearly melted and patches of rock and grass could be seen across the lawn leading to the main building.  It was a bright, sunny morning.

 

They got dressed and ate the leftover crackers and chips for breakfast and then set about removing all traces of their unexpected visit.  Scully insisted they leave a note and a business card in the main building after the replaced the key and she wouldn’t let Mulder purloin more snacks from the vending machine before they left.  He put their bags in the car while she wrote the note.

 

The car was warm when she got into the passenger seat.  She took off her gloves and her jacket and laid them over her lap before she put her seatbelt on.

 

“Couldn’t pick up any stations on the radio,” he said.

 

“I’m sure we’ll get something soon.”

 

Mulder stopped the car after back out of the carport and looked out at the resort.  “Looks different in the light, doesn’t it?” he asked.

 

The main building resembled a ski lodge, which surprised her since it looked like the perfect winter getaway and she couldn’t imagine it in use in the summer.  The cabin they stayed in was blocked from view by a dense line of pine trees, all dripping and shining with melted snow.  As they idled in the car, a large doe ambled out of the woods, very cautiously, with a fawn behind it.

 

“I can see why people stay here,” Mulder said.

 

“Me too.”

 

Mulder glanced at her and then turned the car around to head back to the road.  It was a lot less treacherous than the night before, but the melting snow created a lot of mud which still made the journey a little slow.  She turned her phone on and checked for a signal, but got nothing, so she laid her head back and looked over at Mulder’s hands on the steering wheel.  She felt different somehow, in a way she couldn’t describe, but as she watched him drive, it occurred to her that what she felt was a longing to reach over and slide her fingers into his.

 

“We came in from the right, didn’t we?” Mulder asked.

 

“Hm, yeah,” she answered.  “I think.”

 

“So then we want to head left.”

 

“Mulder?”

 

“Yeah, Scully?”  He turned down his visor and put a hand up to shield his eyes as he looked to the right for any oncoming cars.

 

“First dates will stay locked in your imagination unless you ask.”

 

Mulder tapped on the brake just after he’d started to make a left turn out onto the highway and the car jerked a little.  “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, completing the turn.  “But, you know, summer is pretty far away.”

 

“I’m sure you can think of something before then.”

 

“Perhaps I will.”

 

She smiled and turned her head towards her window.

 

The End

  
  



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